Man in the Middle

Think back; back when you were younger, and played the game tug of war. A rope in-between two people who pulled the ends of the rope they held towards them. The object of the game was that whoever was the strongest and could pull the rope until a line was crossed, she or he won. I don’t know if young people still play that game today, but there are situations that I’m sure you have experienced in the realities of life that feel quite similar; only YOU are the rope with the devil on one end and God on the other. Despite how ridiculous that may be to imagine, know that God is and has always been the strongest, and already has the victory! God’s already fixed the game with the Blood of Christ, but the enemy doesn’t want to accept that and does not play fair.

Though we are not being physically pulled from left to right like a rope, the umbilical cord of our souls’ attachment to God is constantly being challenged by the opposer, who’s looking to prove that you aren’t strong enough to make it through your wilderness or to achieve your triumph without giving up due to the troubles. He is God’s adversary, His enemy, and thus that makes him ours too. It comes to a point for us to realize that if God, the all-powerful, all knowing, and always present Creator of all, has opposition come against Him, so will we. Luke 4:1-12, shows us that even Jesus, in His time of trial, had to engage in a conversation with the enemy. A conversation in which he told Jesus to do something, even while knowing the method of doing it was against God’s will, to provide for Himself. A chat in which this opponent of long time familiarity attempted to convince Him that to claim His blessings He needed to highly depend on someone or something else to obtain what He had already been promised by The Father. And last, we see this discourse continue, in an attempt to challenge Jesus’ identity; challenging Him to take an unwise risk just to prove who He was. In this case, it was Jesus and the enemy conversing directly with each other, but how many times have you unknowingly stood in the midst of their conversation about you?!

In Job 1, after the devil roams the earth looking for people who will give up, he and God has a conversation about Job. The enemy believes he’ll give up on God, give up on any possibilities of being restored, give up on any good future and just throw in the towel, but God believes in Job, that he’ll pull through all the troubles and trials he faced. There are times when you’ll know God is rooting for you. You know He’s never going to leave you. But then the voice of doubt begins to get louder, along with words of misdirection, attempting to get you to solve the problem your way; often in ways that grieve the Holy Spirit.

Consider what script was written when Jacob’s mother decided to be the devil’s advocate and convince her younger son to steal his brother’s blessing, all because she formed an ungodly opinion on who she thought should receive it. When all along if she had of waited on God’s timing, divinely laid plans above her own would have played out perfectly. And Jacob, maybe not in the same way would’ve been blessed without the fear of retribution and guilt.

Another is Sarai and Abram, who were promised an heir at their old age. God spoke letting them know that He had great blessings in store for them, as many as the sands of the sea. But that voice of doubt entered Sarai’s mind, and she became determined to do whatever she had to do to facilitate having the son she thought God was speaking of, and welcomed the atmosphere of hell into her home.

And, then there was David, in a time in which God wanted David to trust His sovereign strength to fight any battles he may need to face, instead of trusting in the numbers and strength of his army. However, David listened to the incitement of the adversary to take a count and relish in the vast number of people he had available to him; possibly it made him feel safe; maybe important; somewhat invincible. But that wasn’t how God wanted him to handle it. This was a great time for him to remember, as Psalm 103:2 GWT says, “Praise the LORD, my soul, and never forget all the good he has done.” For in Judges 7, Gideon with the Power of God backing him won a battle with 300 men against an army of tens of thousands! No matter how difficult; no matter how loud the opposing voice is; no matter how much what you see in the natural may look like the negativity you hear, remember God’s goodness and the fact that He has the final say!

Though in the scenario of life you cannot yell “Cut!” to stop the spiritual conversational script, you can be determined on who to listen to. Sometimes the voice of God cheering you on, whether it be via a still small voice within you or through another person, may sound like something unnatural, or not meant for you, remember you serve a Supernatural God who has plans specifically laid out just for you! It always seems easier to fall back and believe what seems effortless; to depend on old tactics that feel familiar, but it doesn’t make it true or fitting for you. Why would a Big God give you tiny triumphs and dwarfed dreams for which you’d never need to work with Him to achieve? So, believe that what ever He asks you to do, He’s going to be right there with you to help you do it!

Victory on the other side of the battle may seem like it’s too good to be true. However, the only scam is what the enemy is attempting to make you believe; that you can’t do it. That you can’t be audaciously authentic. That you don’t have what it takes. That you will fail. That you’ll never receive your heart’s desires. Jesus tells us in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…”; to steal your chances of beginning again; to kill your confidence; to destroy your dreams, but greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world! You can beat the voice of doubt and discouragement because your success in all envisioned for you resides in the indestructible power of what Gods says, not what the enemy says! It’s never too late to begin. You’re never too old. In the Name of Jesus, I pray the spirit of Caleb over you! That you may live out life leaning on and trusting in the Words of God, enabling you to forge forth, conquering the giants you face that your opposer falsely claim you can’t beat, so you can enter your promised land!

Prayer to be Led by the Voice of the Good Shepherd

Father God,

You said Your sheep know Your voice, and that we’ll never be led astray by a stranger’s voice. Help me, Oh God, to always be led by Your pure and powerful voice, no matter which way I need to turn, whether to the right or to the left. I pray to overcome, disregard, and progress pass any talk, from the enemy through others or even myself at times, of unbelief doubt and discouragement that opposes what You tell me. Despite how big the giants in my life may seem, I seek, Lord Jesus, to trust in You and lean on Your power to lead me to all the victorious stages in my life, always in ways aligned with The Way everlasting.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen!

Daily Affirmation of Victory in Christ

Today, I declare and decree, by the authority and power Christ’s given me, that as long as today is today, the devil will not win this day!